Stereoscopic imaging apparatus

Abstract

A stereoscopic imaging apparatus which uses contrast AF to obviate disadvantages of phase-difference AF, shorten processing time of contrast AF, and improve focusing accuracy. A stereoscopic imaging apparatus including a single photographing optical system, an image sensor for forming a first image which passed through a first region and a second image which passed through a second region, wherein the first region and the second region are pupil-split in a predetermined different direction in the photographing optical system, and a contrast AF controlling part for controlling the positions of a lens in the photographing optical system by using the first image and the second image.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A stereoscopic imaging apparatus comprising:
 a single photographing optical system; 
 an image sensor for forming a first image which passed through a first region and a second image which passed through a second region, wherein the first region and the second region are pupil-split in a predetermined different direction in the photographing optical system; 
 a contrast autofocus (AF) controlling part for controlling the positions of a lens in the photographing optical system by using the first image and the second image; and 
 an autofocus (AF) image selecting part for selecting the image from the first image or the second image to be used for contrast autofocus, and 
 wherein in the AF image selecting part, information which is used to select an image corresponding to an object image that passes through a region having a smaller aberration among the first and the second regions in the predetermined direction of the photographing optical system is set in advance according to the photographing optical system. 
 
     
     
       2. The stereoscopic imaging apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first image and the second image are used as a whole by the contrast AF controlling part.